American Freemasons Three Centuries of Building Communities

View the Table of Contents . Read the Introduction . "The real history of Freemasonry is arguably more interesting than all the tales woven about it." -- U.S. News & World Report "Tabbert, curator of the National Heritage Museum and master of a Masonic lodge in Massachusetts, writes from the inside out, offering an interesting overview of the history of Freemasonry and its attributes." -- Choice, recommended Ô This beautifully-illustrated book is the best introduction to the Masonic past now available for brothers and for curious outsiders.Ö -- Steven C. Bullock, author ofRevolutionary Brotherhood: Freemasonry and the Transformation of the American Social Order, 1730Û 1840 Ô From colonial times to the present, Masons have always been central to community life in America. Mark Tabbert tells their story in a fresh and arresting way. . . . This informative and visually delightful book introduces us to a vital aspect of our nation's civic history.Ö -- Theda Skocpol, Harvard University Ô American Freemasonsmakes a significant contribution by providing a one-volume overview of the entire history of Masonic activity in what is now the United States. With illustrations drawn from the rich collections of the National Heritage Museum, this volume is visually appealing as well as intellectually rewarding.Ö -- William D. Moore, University of North Carolina at Wilmington "American Freemasonsdraws from an extensive body of research to portray numerous anecdotes of Freemasons helping fellows and others... Black-and-white and color photographs illustrate this engaging survey." -- Bookwatch With over four million members worldwide, and twomillion in the U.S., Freemasonry is the largest fraternal organization in the world. Published in conjunction with the National Heritage Museum, this extravagantly illustrated volume offers an overview of Freemasonry's origins in seventeenth-century Scotland and England before exploring its evolving role in American history, from the Revolution through the labor and civil rights movements, and into the twenty-first century.American Freemasonsexplores some of the causes for the rise and fall of membership in the fraternity and why it has attracted men in such large numbers for centuries. American Freemasonsis the perfect introduction to understanding a society that, while shrouded in mystery, has played an integral role in the lives and communities of millions of Americans. Copublished with the National Heritage MuseumTabbert, Mark A. is the author of 'American Freemasons Three Centuries of Building Communities', published 2006 under ISBN 9780814783023 and ISBN 0814783023.